With its focus on the world’s emerging markets, UK-based Kickworldwide has become one of the leading organisations for the development of football. Kickworldwide believes it is essential that any commercial organisation that operates within any community should take the responsibility of giving back enduring value to that community.

Through its global reality TV show ‘Soccer Prince’ and its Football Development Centres, Kickworldwide is creating opportunities for young people across the world. In the process, it is also creating role models for young footballers in some of the world’s leading emerging markets like India, Africa, China and Vietnam.

Kickworldwide is proud to bring its partners, The English Football Association, & Liverpool Football Club, to India and is looking forward to creating a football infrastructure in India to rival the best in Asia.

AIFF manages the football in India. It administers the running of the national team and also controls the I-League, India’s premier domestic club competition, in addition to various other competitions. Founded in 1937, the AIFF gained FIFA affiliation in 1948, following India’s Independence in 1947. India was one of the founder members of the Asian Football Confederation when it was set up in 1954.

Before the birth of AIFF, there was no properly constituted national organisation. However the IFA, the oldest association of its kind in the country, was recognised as the ruling body of football in the country. In that way, the AIFF had in the IFA a forerunner that dates backs to 1893. In its formative years, Englishmen dominated the IFA executive committee.

There are 33 State Associations affiliated to the AIFF, besides the Services and Railways Sports Control Boards and the Women’s Committee. Among the several competitions that the AIFF runs are the I League, Federation Cup, Durand Cup, Santosh Trophy, Dutta Ray Trophy (Under-21 National Championship), B C Roy Trophy (Under-19 National Championship), Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy (Under-16 National Championship).

Member Associations

State Football Associations

There are thirty three State Associations affiliated to the AIFF. Besides, the Services and Railways Sports Control Boards and the Women’s Committee are affiliated units. Three provisionally affiliated State Associations are waiting for final recognition.

The State Associations have their own constitution and structure. Sometimes, their regulations are not in conformity with the AIFF regulations.

Depending on the size of the State, the State Associations have district associations affiliated to them. Clubs are affiliated to the district associations. In smaller States the Clubs are directly affiliated to the State Association.

Each State conducts its own competitions. Competitions are at district level. There are also inter-district competitions.

There is a lot of disparity in the functioning of the State Associations.

A few State Associations, which have the resources, have well equipped and well staffed office. Some have just one room office where the Secretary or any other office bearer comes after the office hours of his regular work/job.

Competitions

The AIFF runs several competitions:

• I League
• Federation Cup
• Durand Cup
• Santosh Trophy
• Dutta Ray Trophy (U-21 National Championship)
• B.C. Roy Trophy (U-19 National Championship)
• Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy (U-16 National Championship)

For international club football lovers, Liverpool FC needs no introduction. To the uninitiated, Liverpool FC is the most successful club in the history of English football, with 18 League Titles, 5 European Cups, 7 FA Cups, 7 League Cups and 3 UEFA Cups.

Partnering with Kickworldwide, Liverpool FC sponsors the prizes for reality TV show “Soccer Prince” as well as providing technical support for Kickworldwide’s Football Development Centre concept.

Liverpool FC is a professional football club based in Liverpool, England. The club plays in the English Premier League, with a fanatic following among fans in England and across the world. The club traditionally played in red and white, but this was changed to all red in the 1960s.

In the past 30 years, they have been one of the most successful clubs in English and European football, winning four European Cup championships between 1977 and 1984. To this they added the coveted Cup treble in 2001 and the club’s fifth European Cup in 2005.

The song “You’ll Never Walk Alone”, originally from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel, and later recorded by Liverpool musicians Gerry & The Pacemakers, is the club’s anthem, and has been sung by the Anfield crowd since the early 1960s.

Liverpool is often featured when football is depicted in British culture, and has appeared in a number of media “firsts”. The club appeared in the first edition of the BBC’s “Match of the Day”, which screened highlights of their match against Arsenal at Anfield on August 22, 1964.

The club was also the subject of television’s first colour football transmission, which showed their match against West Ham United live. Liverpool fans feature in the Pink Floyd song “Fearless”, in which they sang excerpts from “You’ll Never Walk Alone”.